John Thune’s elevation to Senate Republican leader is being welcomed by many ag, biofuel and conservation groups. No Senate majority or minority leader has come to the job with a background in ag and biofuel policy as deep as the South Dakotan’s since, well, Thune unseated then-Democratic leader Tom Daschle in 2004.
Ag policy veterans will remember that Daschle was deeply involved in development of the 2002 farm bill, the last one Congress considered while he was in office. Thune’s more likely to defer to the incoming Senate Ag Committee chairman, John Boozman of Arkansas, but that doesn’t mean Thune will stay away from farm bill issues altogether.
The reaction: A range of groups, including the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Public Lands Council, Renewable Fuels Association, the Rural Broadband Association and the National Wildlife Federation welcomed Thune’s election. They say he has a strong record of supporting ranchers, cattle producers, farmers and conservation efforts.
The National Wildlife Federation specifically highlights his bipartisan work on the American Prairie Conservation Act and efforts to modernize the Conservation Reserve Program to benefit farmers and wildlife.
RFA says it’s excited to see the top Senate GOP role filled by someone with an understanding of the opportunities and challenges in the renewable fuel space. They highlight Thune’s work to defend the Renewable Fuel Standard and expand access to E15.
The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives says Thune has been a champion of farmers and ranchers in his home state and across the country. The group says it looks forward to working with Thune on tax and farm policy.
FDA leader responds to election results
FDA Commissioner Robert Califf is defending agency employees amid attacks from some in the Make America Healthy Again movement.
Speaking at the Friends of Cancer Research annual meeting on Tuesday, Califf said there’s a lot of uncertainty around what could happen to FDA under the incoming Trump administration. Currently, he said FDA is at “peak performance” and cited progress with the reorganization of the human foods program and overall hiring efforts.
While campaigning for President-elect Donald Trump, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and others in the MAHA movement called for major changes in the nutrition space, including firing all federal nutrition scientists.
Califf’s response: Califf said the people who work at FDA are sometimes limited in what they can accomplish, particularly when it comes to changing diets. When asked if employees are preparing to preemptively leave the agency, Califf said they are “waiting to see.”
“From things that have been said, the change could happen internally or from external decisions made by the administration,” Califf said. “We have to wait and see and have some faith that hardworking, high-quality people are going to still be in place and will have support, I hope, from the external regulated community.”
While we’re at it: FDA says there’s no longer a food safety concern attached to the E. coli outbreak at McDonald’s restaurants. Last month, McDonald’s removed Quarter Pounders from menus at some of its stores due to an E. coli outbreak. After testing, the company and federal investigators determined that sliced onions served on the burger were the likely source.
As of Wednesday, 34 people have been hospitalized, and four developed a serious condition that can cause kidney failure. One person has died.
Farm Bureau sued by one of its state affiliates
A dispute between the American Farm Bureau Federation and its Illinois affiliate over membership rules is now the subject of a lawsuit.
Illinois Farm Bureau filed suit in state court Wednesday challenging the AFBF board’s termination of the state group’s membership earlier this month. At issue is whether non-farm insurance customers should be required to be Farm Bureau members. AFBF President Zippy Duvall said Wednesday the membership requirement for policyholders is an issue of “farmer control” of organizational decisions.
IFB President Brian Duncan said in a statement that “none of the communications from President Duvall suggest that forcing an insurance affiliate to require membership of non-farmers is good governance, they simply state it is the AFBF way.”
By the way: Duvall told reporters at an ag bankers meeting in Milwaukee Wednesday that he’s heard good things from New York state producers about Donald Trump’s pick to run EPA, former Rep. Lee Zeldin. But Duvall acknowledges he’s concerned about Zeldin’s opposition to the Renewable Fuel Standard while in Congress. “Sometimes they [nominees] just don't have all the information they need, and we can provide that for them,” Duvall said.
AFBF also is monitoring the incoming administration’s developing plan to carry out mass deportations of people who are in the country illegally. The group will have a better idea how to respond “once we see their plan and how they try to put that in place,” he said. Duvall was asked whether deporting farmworkers could drive up food costs. “It definitely will,” he replied.
Automation remains sticking point in port labor dispute
East and Gulf Coast port workers and their employers are still at an impasse over automation despite returning to the negotiating table following a three-day port strike last month.
While the two sides have seen “positive progress on a number of issues” in current talks, the International Longshoremen’s Association still insists on restricting future use of the technology, according to the United States Maritime Alliance, which represents container carriers, marine terminal operators and port associations.
Take note: If the current dispute over automation is not resolved by Jan. 15, port workers could once again strike, leaving containers of goods stuck on ships or docks.
Mississippi River water levels rebound after recent rains
Barge restrictions have been lifted amid a rebound in Mississippi River water levels due to recent rains, allowing more grain to be transported down the river.
As of Wednesday, water levels at Memphis had risen to 5.68 feet above the base level. That’s a reversal from more than nine feet below the base level, which had been registered just one week earlier.
New members named to EPA farm and ranch advisory committee
EPA Administrator Michal Regan has appointed 18 new members and reappointed six others to the Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Federal Advisory Committee. At least six farmers or ranchers are included in the 18 new members, including operations in Colorado, Louisiana, North Dakota, Kansas, Florida and California.
Final word:
“There’s about to be a food fight. Imagine the line that’s queuing up now of different interests that are looking for different things out of the election results that just occurred.” - John Asbury, chair of the American Bankers Association, on the pressure that’s going to be on the new Congress to address various issues.
